Conventionally known nail polish formulations have been used in pen-like applicators of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,592,202. The pen comprises two bristle brush tips, one at each end and two reservoirs, one containing nail polish, the other containing nail polish remover. Nail polish or remover is delivered to the bristle tip of the pen by compressing the reservoir housing containing the fluid formulation. This technique of delivering either polish or remover to the brush is for all practical purposes similar to the technique of dipping a brush into a reservoir of nail polish or remover, insofar as neither technique requires any special formulation in order to effect proper delivery of the polish or remover to the bristle brush tip. Moreover, said prior art techniques are dependent upon the use of conventional nail polishes, the viscosities of which are sufficiently high enough to enable the polish to be held on the applicator brush.
In contrast to the prior art techniques for applying polish to nail surfaces, the present invention utilizes a substantially non-bristle nib, one end of which contacts a reservoir which is filled with a novel nail polish. When the tip of the nib is depressed polish is released from the reservoir and saturates the nib throughout its entire length, thereby enabling the delivery of a controlled flow of polish to the end of the nib upon contact with the nail surface. Conventional nail polish formulations are unsuitable for use with the applicator means of the present invention, primarily due to their high viscosities, i.e. generally greater than about 300 cps. As used herein the term viscosity refers to Newtonian viscosity as opposed to the thixotropic viscosity. While reducing the viscosity of conventional nail polishes by dilution with a suitable thinner can result in a composition which may flow easily to the non-bristle nib of the present applicator means, such a composition is essentially useless as a nail polish since the pigment and/or other solids content of the nail polish is reduced to a point where it becomes impossible to obtain satisfactory coverage of the nail surface.
Accordingly, the principal objectives of the present invention are two fold; first to provide a novel method of applying polish to nail surfaces i.e. via a substantially non-bristle tip affixed to a pen; and second, to provide a novel commercially acceptable nail polish composition, having an extremely low viscosity so as to flow easily throughout the length of the applicator's non-bristle tip and onto the nail surface and yet having a sufficiently high pigment or solid content so as to provide acceptable nail coverage properties.
These and other objects will be readily apparent from the detailed description of the invention set forth below.